The Massachusetts Institute of Technology banned the 2025 class president from its graduation commencement ceremony after she used her position to promote pro-Hamas propaganda during a speech on Thursday.
Megha Vemuri gave her speech while wearing the Palestinian keffiyeh to show solidarity with Gaza residents as Israeli forces continue efforts to eliminate the terrorist group Hamas.
From NBC News:
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology banned the 2025 class president from Friday's graduation commencement ceremony after she delivered a pro-Palestinian speech during an event Thursday.
The university made the announcement on Friday without naming the student, saying that she delivered a speech at Thursday's OneMIT commencement ceremony that was not the one provided in advance.
"While that individual had a scheduled role at today’s Undergraduate Degree Ceremony, she was notified that she would not be permitted at today’s events," said university spokesperson Kimberly Allen. "MIT supports free expression but stands by its decision, which was in response to the individual deliberately and repeatedly misleading Commencement organizers and leading a protest from the stage, disrupting an important Institute ceremony."
The speech was shared online by the Palestinian Youth Movement, which identified the student as Megha Vemuri. Vemuri wore a Keffiyeh during the speech, and called out MIT for having research ties with the Israel army and "aiding and abetting" the country with its "assault on the Palestinian people."
“You showed the world that MIT wants a free Palestine,” Vemuri said during her speech. “Last spring, MIT's undergraduate body and graduate Student Union voted overwhelmingly to cut ties with the genocidal Israeli military. You called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and you stood in solidarity with the pro-Palestine activists on campus.”
The student said the pro-Hamas students “prevailed because the MIT community that I know would never tolerate a genocide.”
Right now, while we prepare to graduate and move forward with our lives, there are no universities left in Gaza. We are watching Israel try to wipe Palestine off the face of the Earth, and it is a shame that MIT is a part of it. The Israeli occupation forces are the only foreign military that MIT has research ties with. This means that Israel's assault on the Palestinian people is not only aided and abetted by our country, but our school. As scientists, engineers, academics, and leaders, we have a commitment to support life, support aid efforts, and call for an arms embargo, and keep demanding now as alumni that MIT cuts the ties.
Megha Vemuri. A bright neuroscience undergrad. Gets carried away. Wears Islamic Keffiyeh. Ignores Hamas Bloodshed. Bashes Israel & MIT. Misuses platform.
— Karthik Reddy (@bykarthikreddy) May 31, 2025
No parent there would've wanted to listen to this BS. Activism should be kept out of Universities. pic.twitter.com/w135kH4pzD
Since the war in Gaza started on October 7, 2023, after Hamas murdered Israeli civilians during a surprise attack, antisemitic sentiment has increased in the US — especially on college campuses. Vermuri’s speech contained the same talking points used by those advocating for colleges and other American institutions to cut ties with Israel or Israel-aligned companies.
While some schools has allowed pro-Hamas agitators to hold demonstrations while threatening Jewish students, others have been less tolerant. MIT’s decision to ban Vermuri is one of several examples of universities taking a harsher stance toward their antics.
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